3 easy and affordable steps to prepare your house for the spring selling season

Zillow
•
Mar 11, 2013 at 4:07 PM

Spring is knocking on our door and that means we’re about to enter into another busy selling season. Historically speaking, as soon as the ground thaws the number of people listing their homes for sale will increase drastically. If you plan to list your home on the market this spring, now is the time to make preparations so you can stand out among your competitors.

Here are 3 easy steps you can take to help prepare your home for the market.

1. Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space

Let’s face it, this is one of the biggest reasons people wait until spring to sell their homes. We all prefer to look at a lush, green lawn over a brown and dormant yard. Toss in some colorful flowers and landscaping features and you can transform your home’s exterior into a warm, welcoming environment. This is the perfect time to get your outdoor space looking its best. Start by raking up any dead leaves or branches and prune your shrubs. Make sure that all debris is cleared away from walkways, sidewalks, and driveways. Start mowing the lawn on a regular basis and edge the grass along any pathways.

Here’s a tip: If you mow in a diagonal pattern your yard will appear larger! If possible put some potted flowers near the entrance to your home. Before stepping foot into your house, potential buyers will be judging the condition of the inside based on what they see on the outside. Let your buyers know that you have cared for and kept a well-maintained home.

2. Deep Clean Your Windows

This sounds simple enough, but getting really clean windows requires more than just a quick application of Windex. It’s important that you allow the maximum amount of light into your home when showing it, so having super clean windows is crucial. Clean the inside and outside of the glass; many times that requires you to remove the screens to get at the entire surface.

And don’t stop with the glass. Clean the entire window area including window treatments and coverings like drapes, blinds, and curtains. Once your windows are sparkling clean, get your sinks, toilets, mirrors and fixtures to sparkle just as bright.

Here’s a tip: Consider keeping the screens down while you show your house – it will let more light into the house!

3. Clear Off, Clean Out, and Organize!

By now everyone has heard that you need to keep your countertops, tables and dressers cleared off, but it doesn’t stop there. Take time to clean out your refrigerator, cabinets and closets. Keep the items to a minimum and most importantly, keep all storage areas clean and organized. Nobody enjoys going through this process, but storage areas always look bigger when the items inside are either hung neatly and/or stacked neatly on the shelves. Serious buyers will look inside, so be prepared to remove any distractions for your potential buyers.

Remember, new listings generally attract more excitement than those that have been on the market for a while. The more days your home sits on the market, the more “stale” the listing becomes.

And spring time is all about freshness so it’s important to harness the power of a fresh, new listing.

This story was written by Monte Mohr, who has sold over 2,500 homes, making him one of America's top Realtors for the last 25 years. This experience has given him a unique perspective on the Nashville real estate found at http://www.tennesseedreamhomes.com. He is also a regular contributor of real estate advice to Nashville’s NBC affiliate station, WSMV Channel 4. To learn more about Monte Mohr's experience as a real estate agent and to get free advice about your biggest real estate challenges or to request an interview contact him at Info@TennesseeDreamHomes.com.